Parachute tool



Nov. 30, 1943. J. FREMEAU I 2,335,589

' PARAGHU'IE TOOL Filed. March 5, 1943 :5 Sheets-Sheetl Inventor Nov. 30; 1943. L. J. FREMEAU- PARAOHUTE 'rooz.

' Filed larch 5, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 30, 1943.- L. J. FREMEAU v 35, 9

PARACHUTE TOOL Filed March 5, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor lea/ads J firemen/w B, .fizmaai izw WWW Patented Nov. 30, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT -OFFICE PARACHUTE TOOL Louis J. Fremeau, Odessa, Tex.

Application March 5, 1943, Serial No. 478,139

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in parachute tools, and has for its primary object to provide a device comprising a novel construction and arrangement whereby a single worker may expeditiously and with a minimum of effort lock up various types of parachutes.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a parachute locking tool of the aforementioned character which will be simple in construction, strong, durable, highly efficient and reliable in use, compact, and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing, and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, showing a tool constructed in accordance with the present invention in use.

Figure 2 is an elevational View, looking at the opposite side of the tool.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device.

Figure 4 is an end elevational view.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section.

Figure 6 is a view in vertical section through the lower portion of the lever.

Figure 7 is a view in horizontal section, taken substantially on the line 'I-'I of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of one of the arms.

Referring now to the drawings, in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises an extensible rod I of suitable metal. The rod I includes tubular telescopic sections 2, 3 and 4. Pin and slot connections 5 retain the sections 2, 3 and 4 against relative rotation.

A substantially U-shaped bracket 6 is mounted on the inner end portion of the rod I. J ournaled in the bracket 6 is a transverse shaft I. A spool 8 is fixed on the shaft 1 between the upstanding legs of the bracket 6. A cable 9 in the tubular rod I has one end connected to the forward end of said rod, as at It (see Fig. 5). The other end portion of the cable 9 emerges from the tubular rod I and is secured to the spool 8 for winding thereon.

Ratchet wheels I I and I2 are fixed on the end portions of the shaft 1. Mounted for swinging movement on the end portion of the shaft I which carries the ratchet wheel II is a hand lever I3 comprising, on its upper or free end, a T handle I4. The lever I3 further includes, on its lower end, legs I5 which straddle the ratchet wheel II and which are journaled on the shaft 1.

In the embodiment shown, the lever I3 is tubular and slidably mounted in the lower portion thereof is a pawl I6 which is engaged by a coil spring I! with the ratchet wheel II for connecting said ratchet wheel to said lever for actuation in one direction thereby. Pins I8 project laterally from the pawl I6 and are operable in slots I9 which are provided therefor in the lower portion of the lever I3. A shank 20 rises from the pawl I 6 and extends slidably through a guide 2I in the lever I3. The coil spring I! encircles the shank 20 and has one end engaged beneath the guide 2I. A pawl 22 is mounted for swinging movement on the adjacent portion of the rod I, said pawl 22 being engageable with the ratchet wheel I2 for releasably locking the spool 8 against retrograde rotation.

Depending arms 23 are fixed on the ends of the rod I. As best seen in Figures 1 and 7 of the drawings, the arms 23 are engageable in the usual loops 24 on the strap 25 of a parachute pack 26. The inner or rear arm 23 has formed therein a keyhole slot 21 (see Fig. 4) for the passage of the usual locking pins 28.

It is thought that the operation of the tool will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing, Briefly, the telescopic rod I is extended sufiiciently to engage the arms 23 in the loops 24. To permit this, the pawl 22 is disengaged from the ratchet wheel I2. The pawl 22 is then re-engaged with the ratchet wheel I2 and the spool 8 is rotated through the medium of the lever I3 for winding the cable 9 thereon, thus retracting the telescopic rod I for drawing the loops 24 toward each other for engagement over the pins 29, after which the pins 28 are inserted. The pawl 22 is then disengaged from the ratchet wheel I2 for permitting unwinding of the cable 9 and the arms 23 are disengaged from the loops 24. The pawl I6 is disengaged from the ratchet wheel II to free the spool 8 from the lever I3. During the operation of winding the cable 9 on the spool -8, the tension is held by the pawl 22.

It is believed that the many advantages of a parachute locking tool constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within th scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A parachute locking tool comprising a telescopic, extensible rod, means for connecting the end portions of said rod to the loops of a parachute pack, a spool rotatably mounted on the rod, a cable having one end secured to an end portion of the rod and its other end secured to the spool for winding thereon, and means for winding the cable on the spool for retracting the rod for drawing the loops together.

2. A parachute locking tool comprising a tubular, telescopic, extensible rod, a shaft rotatably mounted on one end portion of the rod, a spool fixed on the shaft, a cable in the rod anchored thereto at one end and secured to the spool for winding thereon for retracting said rod, a lever mounted for swinging movement on the shaft,

against retrograde rotation, and arms on the end portions of the rod engageable in the loops of a parachute pack for drawing said loops together.

3. A parachute locking tool comprising an extensible rod including a plurality of tubular, telescopic sections a bracket mounted on one end portion of the rod, a shaft rotatably mounted on the bracket, a spool fixed on the shaft, a cable in the rod having one end anchored to the other end of .said rod, said cable being secured to the spool for winding thereon, ratchet wheels fixed on the shaft, a hand lever mounted for swing- ,ing movement on said shaft, a pawl on said hand lever engageable with one of the ratchet wheels for actuating the spool in a direction to wind the cable thereon for retracting the extensible rod, a pawl on the rod engaged with the other ratchet wheel for releasably securing the spool against rotation in the opposite direction, and arms on the end portions of the rod engageable in the loops of a parachute pack for drawing said loops together when the rod is retracted.

LOUIS J. FRENLEAU. 

